Feature management of a communication device

• US 8,634,801 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Inventors: Weintraub, Ben Julian, Baker, Matthew Donald, Geller, Steven Ira, Kesser, Douglas Owen, Neal, Daniel John, Politi, Carol Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/763,348
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408, 455/410, 455/411, 705/52, 705/53
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/35 Pay as you go
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device, such as making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. If a child or employee is using the device, there may be a need to regulate how that device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating a user function of a computing device, the system comprising a memory storing thereon computer readable instructions that, when executed on the system, cause the system to at least:

send to a server a request received from or sent to the computing device to execute the user function on the computing device;

receive a response from the server indicative as to whether the request is denied or granted based on a decision of the server, the response being further indicative of an action executed by the server to enforce the decision, the decision being based on a policy managed at the server; and

send the response to the computing device, the response indicative of allowing the computing device to execute the function when the request is granted without a download of the policy or the decision to the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a rule for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device, and wherein the rule is a total prohibition on content that can be sent, received, or used.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a rule for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device, and wherein the rule establishes a quantity limit on content that can be sent, received or used in a given period of time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a rule for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device, and wherein the rule establishes a limit on how many units of value can be spent by the user on content that can be sent, received, or used in a given period of time.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computing device is managed by an administrator, and wherein the response comprises a notification directed to the administrator, a user, or both the administrator and the user when the limit on how many units of value can be spent by the user has been reached.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a rule for managing content that can be sent, received or used by the computing device, and wherein the rule establishes a limit on a type of content that can be sent, received, or used.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy includes a rule for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device, and wherein the rule establishes a time frame during which it is acceptable to send, receive, or use the content.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed on a system, cause the system to at least:

transmit to a server a request received from or sent to a communication device to execute a function of the communication device;

receive a response from the server indicative as to whether the request is denied or granted based on a decision of the server, the response being further indicative of an action executed by the server to enforce the decision, the decision being based on a list of one or more policies managed at the server; and

transmit the response to the communication device, the response indicative of allowing the communication device to execute the function when the request is granted without a download of the policy or the decision to the system.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the list of one or more policies includes a user established list of policies, an administrator established list of policies, and/or a third party established list of policies, wherein the administrator established list of policies can take precedence over the user established list of policies and the third party established list of policies can take precedence over the user established list of policies and the administrator established list of policies.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the third party established list of policies are generated based on input associated with an institution associated with the user or an employer of the user.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the list of one or more policies includes a rule for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the communication device, wherein the communication device can be geographically located by a communication network, and wherein the rule establishes a geographic location within which the communication device can be used to send, receive, or use the content.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the list of one or more policies includes one or more rules for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the communication device, and wherein a first rule among the one or more rules overrides at least a second rule among the one or more rules.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the communication device is managed by an administrator and is associated with a user, and wherein the list of one or more policies includes one or more rules for managing content that can be sent, received, or used by the communication device, wherein the administrator can establish an administrator rule, wherein the user can establish a user rule, and wherein the administrator rule can override the user rule.

14. A method for facilitating a function of a computing device, the method comprising:

sending to a server a request received from or sent to the computing device to execute a function;

receiving, from the server, data indicative of whether the request is denied or granted, the data being based on a list of one or more policies managed at the server, the data being further indicative of one or more actions operable to enforce a decision of the server to deny or grant the request; and

sending the data to the computing device, wherein in response to receiving the data, the computing device is operable to execute the function when the request is allowed without a download of the policy to the computing device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the computing device is managed by an administrator, wherein a charge of one or more units of value applies to an execution of the function, and wherein a user of the computing device or the administrator is associated with the charge.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the computing device is managed by an administrator, wherein a charge of one or more units of value applies to an execution of the function, and wherein one or more actions consistent with a granted request includes an application of a charge associated with the execution of the function to a user wallet, an administrator wallet, or a dynamic wallet.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more actions consistent with a denied request includes terminating the request, redirecting the request, or degrading the requested function.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more actions consistent with the denied request further includes generating a notification directed to an administrator, a user of the computing device, or both the user and the administrator.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more actions consistent with a denied request further includes notifying a third party of the denied request.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the computing device is configured to exchange content over a communication network, wherein the computing device can be geographically located by the communication network, and wherein the list of one or more policies establishes a geographic location within which the computing device can be used to send, receive, or use the content.